Welcome to the eleventh edition of the assessor E-bulletin, an online flyer designed to share good practice and ideas in Teaching, Learning and Assessment across the Employer Responsive.

This bulletin is designed to give you a host of ideas to help and guide you with regards to all things ER related. It will be sent out every eight/ten weeks and is put together by the Assessor Network.

Greetings ER!

As we sit down to pen the latest assessor e-bulletin, we cannot help but look out through the window at what must qualify as the first official spring like day. it is glorious.

The days now have a little more daylight and everybody will hopefully start to feel more energized as we embark on this Easter break.

So with this new found vigor, we here at assessor HQ have put together a few bits to support you through the next term.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/604401/Apprenticeship_Reform_Programme_-_Benefits_Realisation_Strategy.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-funding-bands

Last month, Sam Hope came in and educated us on the ever growing importance of Trans awareness. The session was both informative and thought provoking which provided a sound basis for discussion on how we in ER can make improvements moving forward. The materials from that session can be found HERE

Remember, the above forms an integral part of British values with regards individual liberty and Mutual Respect. For a refresh on BV, click HERE

On 23 March 2017, the College held its second TeachMeet and what an interesting and fun event it was! Dedicated practitioners from both in and outside the College brought their enthusiasm and wisdom to the proceedings and made the evening truly memorable.

Dan Williams, VR Education, Deborah Drury, Petra Hosey, Patrick Pemsel, Matt Woolass, Caroline Houldsworth, Janette Thompson, Jodeine Wheatcroft, Diane Smeed, Nashima Aslam, Jenny DuMay, Rob Stevens, Danny Hendry, Simon Cunningham and Ken Wake, you got us all talking, collaborating, struggling through challenges and reflecting on our own practice and how we can make it better. Thank you!

And here's to the next one!

1. Look up 'SCALE UP' active learning method online.
2. Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. Make it stick!
3. Get students to research topics and feedback to the group using a PowerPoint.
4. Empower students by putting the onus on them to be responsible for their own learning.
5. Love the subject you teach, so students love to learn the subject!
6. Never accept an incomplete answer - ask another learner to improve or add to it.
7. Check learning at the end of the lesson with a new and old learning wall. Get students to put "new" learning on a Post-It note and stick it on the new learning wall.
8. Vary assessment techniques to put the focus on learning rather than on written assignments.
9. At the end of the session, get students to set the objectives for the next session.
10. Use e-books - they help students to select citations and understand how to reference using the Harvard method.
11. Give time over to establishing class rules (ie. students as a collective) where students agree their own rules and consequences. This works with all ages.
12. Get to know your learners' hobbies and interests to engage them in the classroom as they walk in - take an active interest, it shows you care!
13. Use Interact to make students more responsible for their own learning. Interact can be the students' first port of call if the lecturer isn't available.
14. Matching exercises to define terms for teaching terminology.
15. Post-It notes for starter activities.
16. Teach in steps.
17. Use newspaper articles for starter activities.
18. Get the students to work with what they already know - for example, to explain a process to another student and answer questions about it. Listen and ask questions about the other student's process. This helps break down barriers and integrates people quickly.
19. Pair up buddies for workshops.
20. Make sure learners bring calculators to maths classes as they forget!
21. Our 16-19 year-olds live their lives through the virtual/online world! Don't fight it - engage with them on their turf!
22. Get Level 2/3 students to carry out maths starters.
23. Use 'YouTube maths song' for Level 1 as a starter.
24. Use different coloured pens to show peer and self-assessment.
25. Look at the examiners' report before attempting past paper questions. Use self-marking for Foundation level assessments and peer-marking for Higher level assessments.
26. Use literacy mats with sentence openers and conjunctions to encourage learners to practise their English skills.
27. Use Science literacy mats with keywords given to encourage better use of terminology.
28. Use or create a grid to gain ideas for revision. Use dice to find/select ideas.

This free two-hour online course aims to help front-line apprenticeship staff to engage and support a diverse range of apprentices (and their employers) right the way through the new apprenticeship standards journey. It will help you to identify barriers, find solutions and improve your practice at all stages of apprenticeship delivery , from marketing and business development, to employer engagement, induction, on-programme training, on-programme assessment and progression.

https://booking.etfoundation.co.uk/course/details/127?return=browse

Value yourself:

Treat yourself with kindness and respect, and avoid self-criticism. Make time for your hobbies and favourite projects, or broaden your horizons. Do daily crossword puzzles, plant a garden, take dance lessons, learn to play an instrument or become fluent in another language.

Take care of your body:

Taking care of yourself physically can improve your mental health. Be sure to:

Eat nutritious meals

Avoid cigarettes

Drink plenty of water

Exercise, which helps decrease depression and anxiety and improve moods

Get enough sleep. Researchers believe that lack of sleep contributes to a high rate of depression in college students.

Surround yourself with good people:

People with strong family or social connections are generally healthier than those who lack a support network. Make plans with supportive family members and friends, or seek out activities where you can meet new people, such as a club, class or support group.

Learn how to better deal with stress:

Like it or not, stress is a part of life. Practice good coping skills: Try One-Minute Stress Strategies, do Tai Chi, exercise, take a nature walk, play with your pet or try journal writing as a stress reducer. Also, remember to smile and see the humour in life. Research shows that laughter can boost your immune system, ease pain, relax your body and reduce stress.

Set realistic goals:

Decide what you want to achieve academically, professionally and personally, and write down the steps you need to realize your goals. Aim high, but be realistic and don't over-schedule. You'll enjoy a tremendous sense of accomplishment and self-worth as you progress toward your goal.

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

This Mental Health Awareness Week, 8-14 May 2017, we are going to look at mental health from a new angle. Rather than ask why so many people are living with mental health problems, we will seek to uncover why too few of us are thriving with good mental health.

• 57% of terrorist attacks in the UK have been from right wing extremists and 37% from religious extremists.
  

• 'National Action' has become the first UK far right group to be proscribed as an illegal terrorist organisation.

• 'Nottingham man Ryan Counsel sentenced to 8 years imprisonment for supporting a group aligned with ISIS'

• 'According to Home Office figures 25% of Channel Referrals now concern far right ideologie

• According to Andrew Parker (Head of Mi5) there have been 12 ISIS inspired terror plots foiled in the last 3 years'